Real McCoys look to increase playoff lead

The puck goes high as Dundas Real McCoys’ netminder Dan Turple foils an attempt by Ron Baker of the Whitby Dunlops. Dundas won the game, 3-2. (Photo: Karen Robillard)

Dundas Real McCoys assumed first place in the 2009-10 Major League Hockey playoff season with back-to-back wins.
“We feel pretty good about that,” said coach Ken Mann, referring to Dundas’ round-robin standing after play on the Feb. 26-28 weekend. “We still have some work to do,” added Mann, whose team will continue play against the Norwood Vipers Friday night (March 5) in Dundas at the JL Grightmire Arena. Game time is 7:45 p.m.

Dundas defeated the Whitby Dunlops 3-2 last Friday and bettered the Vipers 6-3 on Sunday for an overall record of 3-1 in the playoffs.

“All the young guys came in and worked really hard for us,” Mann said about Dundas getting six goals from five different players in Sunday’s victory.

Last Friday’s game started with a power play goal from Whitby’s Peter MacKellar. The Real McCoys Mike Kennedy was able to tie the game with assists going to Shawn Shewchuk and Justin Davis. Dundas took the lead one minute and 14 seconds later with a goal from newcomer Rod Hinks.

Both offences struggled in the second period when there was no scoring and only six shots on goal – five by Dundas and one by Whitby.

Dundas’ last goal, the game-winner, resembled the club’s first with Kennedy scoring his second of the night assisted by Shewchuk and Davis.

Dan Turple was excellent in preserving the win for Dundas. Whitby blasted 12 shots, including a final minute flurry, in the third period. Turple stopped 21 of 23 shots for the victory.

Norwood’s Jody Fitzgerald opened the scoring in Sunday’s contest. Pat Montgomery and Ryan Courtney assisted on the first period’s lone goal.

The second period belonged to Dundas as the Real McCoys’ John Neal scored on the power play just 37 seconds into the frame. JJ Martin and Frank Grandits added a goal each, giving Dundas a 3-1 lead entering the third period.

Fitzgerald scored again to open the third, and with Viper Adrian Wilson replying on a power play to tie the score at three. The two teams battled back-and-forth until Martin broke the tie with a power play goal for Dundas. Shewchuk and Davis added empty net goals to seal the victory. Bryan Worosz starred in net for the Real McCoys stopping 26 of 29 shots.